Visiting the Alhambra with a group: booking, time slots and night visits

The Alhambra is Granada's flagship monument. The Nasrid Palaces, the Generalife and its gardens, the Alcazaba: the whole site takes half a day to see. For a group it is a high point, because participants suddenly understand the city they are discovering.

Tickets are bought on the official site, online, at ATMs or by phone, with a bank card. They can be bought in advance up to 23:59 the day before the visit. The official site recommends booking early, as demand is high.

The cap matters for a group: one person cannot buy more than ten tickets per bank card and per month. The site also states that groups booked through authorised agents have a reserved share of the annual capacity, which makes booking early even more useful. Check the details on the official site when you book.

The daytime visit is open every day: 8:30 to 18:00 from 15 October to 31 March, and 8:30 to 20:00 from 1 April to 14 October. Ticket offices open an hour earlier. The site is closed on 25 December and 1 January.

The Nasrid Palaces have their own time slot. The ticket shows the access time, and the official site asks visitors to collect their tickets at least one hour before that slot. Plan a meeting point and some margin so the whole group arrives on time.

The Nasrid Palaces also open in the evening. From October to March, night visits take place on Fridays and Saturdays, from 20:00 to 21:30. In spring they run more often, from Tuesday to Saturday, from 22:00 to 23:30. The Generalife gardens can also be visited at night, in separate slots.

Days and hours change from one period to the next, and the official pages consulted do not cover every month, notably June, July and August. Check the official calendar before fixing a date.

A group is between 11 and 30 people per visit. Tourist groups must be accompanied by an accredited tour guide, who stays with the group throughout the visit.

For a group, allow at least half a day, a cool break in summer and a clear meeting point at the exit. Children under 12 enter free, but their ticket must be bought at the same time as the adult tickets.